Energy generating system

ABSTRACT

An energy generating system includes: an internal combustion engine including a combustion chamber, and an exhaust pipe in fluid communication with the combustion chamber; a heat exchanging unit including a steam boiler defining an inner space for receiving water therein, a tortuous heating pipe disposed in the inner space in the steam boiler and connected to the exhaust pipe so as to receive a high temperature exhaust gas from the combustion chamber and so as to generate steam in the inner space in the steam boiler, and a steam turbine connected to the steam boiler so as to receive steam from the inner space in the steam boiler; and an energy output unit including a power generator connected to the steam turbine for generating electrical power.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to an energy generating system, more particularlyto an energy generating system with superior energy utilizationefficiency.

2. Description of the Related Art

FIG. 1 shows a conventional energy generating system including aninternal combustion engine 1, an output shaft 2, an exhaust pipe 3, anda treating unit 4. A fuel/air mixture is combusted in the internalcombustion engine 1 so as to generate mechanical power to rotate theoutput shaft 2. During combustion of the fuel/air mixture, hightemperature exhaust gas is produced in the internal combustion engine 1,and is subsequently delivered to the treating unit 4 for treatment, suchas filtering and cooling.

However, the energy utilization efficiency of the conventional internalcombustion engine 1 is limited because the exhaust gas still carries aconsiderable amount of energy that can be utilized.

Therefore, there is a need in the art to provide an energy generatingsystem that can provide superior energy utilization efficiency.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide an energygenerating system that can overcome the aforesaid drawback of the priorart.

According to this invention, an energy generating system comprises: aninternal combustion engine including a combustion chamber, and anexhaust pipe in fluid communication with the combustion chamber; a heatexchanging unit including a steam boiler defining an inner space forreceiving water therein, a tortuous heating pipe disposed in the innerspace in the steam boiler and connected to the exhaust pipe so as toreceive a high temperature exhaust gas from the combustion chamber andso as to generate steam in the inner space in the steam boiler, and asteam turbine connected to the steam boiler so as to receive steam fromthe inner space in the steam boiler; and an energy output unit includinga power generator connected to the steam turbine for generatingelectrical power.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent in the following detailed description of the preferredembodiments of this invention, with reference to the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a conventional energy generating system;

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the first preferred embodiment of anenergy generating system according to this invention; and

FIG. 3 is a schematic view of the second preferred embodiment of anenergy generating system according to this invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Before the present invention is described in greater detail withreference to the accompanying preferred embodiments, it should be notedherein that like elements are denoted by the same reference numeralsthroughout the disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 2, the first preferred embodiment of an energygenerating system 10 according to the present invention is shown toinclude an internal combustion engine 20, a heat exchanging unit 30, andan energy output unit 40.

The internal combustion engine 20 includes an output shaft 213, acombustion chamber 212 for combusting a fuel/air mixture to generate amechanical power to drive the output shaft 213 and an exhaust gas havinga temperature ranging from 800 to 1000° C., and an exhaust pipe 214 influid communication with the combustion chamber 212. Gasoline, diesel,or gas can be used as a fuel for the internal combustion engine 20. Theheat exchanging unit 30 includes: a steam boiler 31 defining an innerspace 311 for receiving water therein; a tortuous heating pipe 32disposed in the water in the inner space 311 in the steam boiler 31 andconnected to the exhaust pipe 214 so as to receive the high temperatureexhaust gas from the combustion chamber 212 and so as to generate steamby vaporizing the water in the inner space 311 in the steam boiler 31using the high temperature exhaust gas; and a steam turbine 34 connectedto the steam boiler 31 so as to receive steam from the inner space 311in the steam boiler 31. The energy output unit 40 includes a powergenerator 41 connected to the steam turbine 34 for generating electricalpower.

In this invention, the heat exchanging unit 30 further includes a steampipe 331 interconnecting the steam boiler 31 and the steam turbine 34and transporting the steam to the steam turbine 34 from the inner space311 in the steam boiler 31. The steam turbine 34 includes a turbinehousing 341, a turbine blade unit 342 disposed in the turbine housing341, and a spindle 343 co-movably connected to the turbine blade unit342 and connected to the power generator 41 of the energy output unit40. The turbine blade unit 342 is driven to rotate by the steam from theinner space 311 in the steam boiler 31 so as to drive the spindle 343 toco-rotate therewith, which, in turn, provides mechanical power to thepower generator 41 of the energy output unit 40 for generatingelectrical power.

In addition, the heat exchanging unit 30 includes a condensing unit 35interconnecting the steam turbine 34 and the steam boiler 31. Thecondensing unit 35 includes a tortuous condensing pipe 351 connected tothe steam turbine 34, a condensate-storage container 352 connected tothe tortuous condensing pipe 351, and a pump 353 connected to thecondensate-storage container 352 and the steam boiler 31 fortransporting condensate (i.e., water) from the condensate-storagecontainer 352 to the inner space 311 in the steam boiler 31.

It should be noted herein that the volume of water in the inner space311 in the steam boiler 31 is smaller than the volume of the inner space311 in the steam boiler 31 such that an upper chamber 313 is formed inthe top part of the inner space 311 in the steam boiler 31 for receivingthe steam vaporized from the water in the steam boiler 31. The steamboiler 31 further includes a safety valve 312 connected to the upperchamber 313 in the steam boiler 31 for releasing steam when the steampressure in the upper chamber 313 exceeds a predetermined value.

Preferably, the heat exchanging unit 30 includes a discharging pipe 322connected to the tortuous heating pipe 32 for releasing the exhaust gas,which has been cooled by the water in the steam boiler 31, into theatmosphere.

In this embodiment, the energy output unit 40 further includes a storagebattery 42 connected to the power generator 41, and a motor 43 connectedto the storage battery 42 such that the motor 43 can be driven by theelectrical power generated by the power generator 41.

FIG. 3 illustrates the second preferred embodiment of the energygenerating system 10 according to this invention. This preferredembodiment differs from the previous embodiment in that the internalcombustion engine 20 further includes an energy generator 22 connectedto the output shaft 213 so as to generate electrical power. The storagebattery 42 and the motor 43 can be dispensed with in this preferredembodiment.

According to the present invention, since the heat exchanging unit 30 isdirectly connected to the exhaust pipe 214 so as to convert heat of theexhaust gas into useful power, the energy utilization efficiency of theenergy generating system 10 is enhanced as compared to the conventionalinternal combustion engine 1.

While the present invention has been described in connection with whatis considered the most practical and preferred embodiments, it isunderstood that this invention is not limited to the disclosedembodiments but is intended to cover various arrangements includedwithin the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation andequivalent arrangements.

1. An energy generating system comprising: an internal combustion engine including a combustion chamber, and an exhaust pipe in fluid communication with said combustion chamber; a heat exchanging unit including a steam boiler defining an inner space for receiving water therein, a tortuous heating pipe disposed in said inner space in said steam boiler and connected to said exhaust pipe so as to receive a high temperature exhaust gas from said combustion chamber and so as to generate steam in said inner space in said steam boiler, and a steam turbine connected to said steam boiler so as to receive steam from said inner space in said steam boiler; and an energy output unit including a power generator connected to said steam turbine for generating electrical power.
 2. The energy generating system of claim 1, wherein said heat exchanging unit further includes a steam pipe interconnecting said steam boiler and said steam turbine.
 3. The energy generating system of claim 1, wherein said heat exchanging unit further includes a condensing unit interconnecting said steam turbine and said steam boiler and including a tortuous condensing pipe connected to said steam turbine, a condensate-storage container connected to said tortuous condensing pipe, and a pump connected to said condensate-storage container and said steam boiler for transporting condensate from said condensate-storage container to said inner space in said steam boiler.
 4. The energy generating system of claim 1, wherein said steam boiler includes a safety valve for releasing steam.
 5. The energy generating system of claim 1, wherein said steam turbine includes a turbine housing, a turbine blade unit disposed in said turbine housing, and a spindle co-movably connected to said turbine blade unit and connected to said power generator of said energy output unit.
 6. The energy generating system of claim 1, wherein said energy output unit further includes a storage battery connected to said power generator, and a motor connected to said storage battery.
 7. The energy generating system of claim 1, wherein said internal combustion engine further includes an output shaft.
 8. The energy generating system of claim 7, wherein said internal combustion engine further includes an energy generator connected to said output shaft. 